Axel Oxenstierna Palace, Mannerist palace in Old Town, Stockholm, Sweden
Axel Oxenstierna Palace is a five-storey building at Storkyrkobrinken 2, its red plaster facade rising from a grey sandstone base with arched openings. The upper three storeys have ornate stone window frames and small pediments; the lower two are plainer. A steep dark roof with a central cupola tops the corner building, planned as the south wing of a larger palace.
The palace was designed by architect Jean de la Vallée in 1653 for Swedish Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. Between 1668 and 1680, the building served as the seat of the Swedish Central Bank before transitioning to other institutional uses.
The Oxenstierna family never lived here: Axel died in 1654 and his son Erik two years later, so the palace stayed unfinished. From 1668 to 1680 it housed Riksens ständers bank, the forerunner of the Riksbank. The name comes from Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna, who commissioned it from Jean de la Vallée in 1653.
The palace is located in Old Town Stockholm at Storkyrkobrinken 2 and is easily accessible from various directions. The surrounding area with Storkyrkan church and other historic buildings makes it convenient to explore on foot through the narrow streets and squares.
The plot is not square to Trångsund lane, so Jean de la Vallée set the windows and portal at a slight angle to Storkyrkobrinken. The facade only appears straight from the street; the window niches run parallel to the lane, a forced-perspective trick that corrects the eye.
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